free 2 be marlo

Monday, October 10, 2005

Posted by danylo @ 5:23 a.m. ET

Will I always get to walk alone at night?

It's one of the things that I really enjoy. Didn't realize it how much I missed it until tonight, when I walked back up to Cleveland Park to get my car around 1 a.m. Common's "Be'" was on the Ipod, traffic was minimal, both ped and powered, the air was clear and just on the warm side of brisk.

I used to walk a lot more it seems, when I first moved to D.C.: the occasional late night at work, the constant inability to get a cab to go to the Hill, heck, even the frequent exercise walk just to Foggy Bottom from the office, or to or from The Cave to Smithsonian Metro.

Occasionally I be pretty pissed, on account of the late hours at work or the fact that I lived in a neighborhood of three-quarters-of-a-million-plus dollar houses and had money to pay and tip and couldn't get picked by female or hack.

It would only be a short while before I'd settle down and settle in for the walk. Was never too cold for long, if I needed to pee, it was never a problem. I was offered a TV once, and a few rides. I was offered to be ridden, I mean.

Gradually I'd zone and hit that happy-just-barely-buzzing state, whether or not I'd been drinking. I'd plan my route, home and life. I'd think of people close and far, dear and near. I'd replay conversations, the ones I did have and the ones I should have had. Lots of reminiscing, lots of soul searching, lots of wondering.

Lots of swearing, too. Mostly in the early parts of the walk, and usually at the cabbies. But sometimes, toward the end: I swear to take a walk whenever and wherever I need to. At least whenever I can.

---

Replies: 7 comments

© '95-'08. Questions, comments, etc: hit me up. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of any of our employers, current, past or future.